Gristina switching attorneys again

NEW YORK — The Monroe mom who Manhattan prosecutors say ran a high-priced call-girl operation is changing lawyers again, despite a legal victory on Friday by her most recent lawyer.

BY HEATHER YAKIN

NEW YORK — The Monroe mom who Manhattan prosecutors say ran a high-priced call-girl operation is changing lawyers again, despite a legal victory on Friday by her most recent lawyer.

Before the change of counsel becomes official, the judge must rule on whether to allow it. The new lawyer, Norm Pattis, is from Connecticut.

Anna Gristina has been held for months on a felony charge of promoting prostitution. A judge in Manhattan set her bail at $1 million cash or $2 million bond after prosecutors argued Gristina, who's not a U.S. citizen, has powerful supporters and connections overseas who could help her flee.

Gristina's family had retained Chester lawyer Gary Greenwald to represent her. On Friday, Greenwald convinced the Appellate Division to agree to hear an appeal of the high bail on an expedited basis. Arguments for a bail reduction will be held June 7, Greenwald said.

Prosecutors opposed expediting the arguments. Greenwald said Wednesday that the court's decision to hear the case quickly "an enormous victory."

But in the interim, Gristina switched lawyers. She is now represented by Connecticut lawyer Norm Pattis, who has a hard-charging reputation as a civil rights and criminal defense lawyer and a vocal critic of purportedly unwarranted and malicious prosecutions.

But first the judge must okay the change.

Gristina and her new lawyers appeared Wednesday before Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan. Pattis said the judge has not yet decided on Gristina's request for new counsel and will address it Tuesday. Until then, Greenwald stays on.

"Notwithstanding the fact that she has fired her attorney, he has asked that he (Greenwald) stay on until this is resolved," Pattis said in a prepared statement. "This is an extremely unusual turn of events that raises difficult 6th Amendment (right to counsel) issues. I look forward to addressing them in court next week."

Pattis said he'll lead a defense team including New York lawyer Peter Gleason. Gleason already briefly represented Gristina and, according to media reports at the time, had offered to put up his $2 million TriBeCa apartment as collateral for her bail.

Greenwald said the change of counsel was because of "a significant disagreement" as to how to proceed with Gristina's case and that she is certainly entitled to the lawyer of her choice. He wished her and her family well.

"In order for a criminal case to positively proceed, it is necessary for both lawyer and defendant to maintain a shared vision for the course of the defense," Greenwald wrote in a prepared statement. "At this time, unfortunately this is not the case. I wish her new attorney great success."

Gristina and her husband, Sullivan County native Kelvin Gorr, live in Monroe with Gristina's four children.

Pattis describes Gristina's bail as "not only legally excessive ... given the single charge" but also evidence "the Manhattan DA is playing some broader game in which Anna has been swept up as some sort of pawn."